The cure

The part of our brain that senses the danger, the Amygdala, is necessary to keep us safe, so whilst there is no cure, there are things you can try to reduce your anxiety. We are all unique and works for me may not work for you.  The following are not set in stone, adapt them to suit you, add or remove what you need and if you find something that works, let me know, I'd love to hear about it.

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When we're anxious, we're stuck in that heightened stretch of time between the original awareness that something is wrong and the end bit where our brain forgets and moves on.  The following get us to that end step where we forget we're anxious and move on.

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Look around you.  Is anyone else panicking?  Is there anything obvious that you is threatening you now?  If not, tell yourself you have gauged the perceived threat has gone, and in the same thought tell yourself something. you else you are going to do now, e.g. 'ah the threat has gone, I will go and make a cup of tea'.  Try to resist thinking about 'could happens' as these extend the anxiety.

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Try to remember what else were you thinking about.  The anxious thoughts have taken over is simply because we gave them more focus than the other thoughts we were having.  Imagine putting a plant pot over a growing tomato plant, if you starve it of food and light it will wither away.  Try and starve the spiralling anxious thoughts of attention, by focussing on other thoughts instead.  What would you change about the decor in your current room?

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If the anxiety has urgency to it, you might believe you're having premonition or have a sixth sense. But this is just heightened anxiety. Remind yourself, you are not a witch, allowing the anxiety so much attention won't stop something happening, nor will it make it happen.  You will just continue to feel anxious and it will be harder to overcome next time.

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Can you feel where in your body you are feeling it the most?  Is your whole body fizzing with overwhelm?  or is it perhaps just tension?  Are your fingertips overwhelmed? Your toes?  Your knees?  Probably not, so is it possible it's starting to recede?  and what you're left with is the anxiety fighting for your attention, and perhaps the feeling in your body is just residual tension?  I always feel it across my collar bones, like they’re pulling in towards each other.  Take some really deep breaths and try to breath into the areas where you're tense, holding the anxiety.  Breathe out, shrug your shoulder, wiggle your fingers and toes and shrug your shoulders out again.  The jaw is another place we hold tension when feeling anxious, try sticking your tongue out, pull it back in and do a fake yawn.  Repeat

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It is exhausting fighting it all of the time, but you're fighting your own conjured thoughts.  You can choose to continue spending that energy persisting the anxiety, or instead, take a few deep breaths, shrug your shoulders and get up and do something else instead.

 

When you realise you feel anxious, or are even thinking about being anxious, do something else.  Before you even give it another thought.  Get a glass of water, go clean the knife and fork drawer, sing a song.  Try not to do the same thing each time or it becomes like a compulsive behaviour, simply replacing the anxiety, rather than overcoming it.

 

One of the hardest things about anxiety that it can feel so compelling and urgent and needing all of your attention.  But the best way to overcome it is to just get up and do something else, try not to think ‘ooh I’m not anxious anymore’, because you’re still giving it airtime.  Try to lose yourself in whatever else it is you’re doing.  You can always reflect later on about how well you did, but in the moment, try not to let the anxiety weave its way in by thinking about it too much.

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As before, there is no cure.  It apparently takes a minimum of 40 times to change your automatic responses to threats, so don't be disheartened if you don't immediately beat your anxiety.  Each time you do it you are shortening that response time in the anxiety zone. Some days are easier than others, so be kind to yourself.  I hope this has helped.